Crabgrass vs Tall Fescue

Crabgrass vs Tall Fescue admin February 21, 2023

CRABGRASS VS. COARSE TALL FESCUE

Is that Ugly Clump Grass Crabgrass? or Something Else?

Tall Fescue

Tall fescue is often mistakenly identified as crabgrass. This thick-bladed, perennial grass typically grows in clumps within the lawn. A simple way to tell if the grass clump is tall fescue is to observe its growth pattern. If the clump is present year-round, it is likely unimproved tall fescue, brome, or another native grass. However, if the clump starts to grow partway through the season, it is most likely crabgrass.

Until 2024, tall fescue could not be controlled without harming desirable grasses. Fortunately, there is now a new method to manage tall fescue using a specialized application technique with a weed control product called Tenacity.

Crabgrass vs Coarse Fescue

Crabgrass

Crabgrass is much easier to manage than tall fescue because it is an annual grass. One of the simplest ways to differentiate between tall fescue and crabgrass is by observing when they germinate. Crabgrass typically germinates in May and will begin to appear in lawns around mid-June or early July.

Crabgrass can be easily identified by its light green color and often grows along the edges or in thin, stressed areas of the lawn. Many people mistakenly believe that crabgrass can only be controlled with a pre-emergent treatment. In reality, crabgrass can be effectively managed using a special post-emergent crabgrass killer called Drive XLR8. This product eliminates crabgrass without harming desirable grasses, and the crabgrass will die within 3 to 10 days after application.

Examples of Crabgrass

Crabgrass Fort Collins Colorado
This is young crabgrass, which is an annual grass that germinates in late June or early July and is easily controlled using Drive XLR8.
Late June or July is the best time of year to kill this annual grass. It is best to treat this grass in the early stages, before it spreads seeds.
Mature Crabgrass
This is an example of mature crabgrass. At this stage the crabgrass has already developed seeds and is more difficult to control compared to young crabgrass.

Examples of Coarse Tall Fescue

Coarse fescue in lawn
There are a number of types of coarse tall fescue grasses and this is an example of this ugly clumping grass.
Coarse Tall Fescue
This grass type is not to be confused with turf-type tall fescue, which is an attractive tall fescue blend.
This is coarse fescue in a bluegrass lawn. We can spot treat this grass with a special treatment without harming the bluegrass.

Crabgrass vs. Fescue Quick Reference:

Crabgrass is much easier to control than tall fescue because it is an annual grass. One of the simplest ways to differentiate between tall fescue and crabgrass is by the time of year they germinate. Crabgrass typically germinates in May and appears in lawns between mid-June and early July. It is identifiable by its light green color and usually grows on the edges or in thin, stressed areas of the lawn.

Many people mistakenly believe that crabgrass can only be controlled with a pre-emergent herbicide. However, it can actually be effectively managed with a special post-emergent crabgrass killer called Drive XLR8. This product kills crabgrass without damaging desirable grasses, with the crabgrass dying within 3 to 10 days after application.

Coarse fescue, on the other hand, is a thick-bladed perennial grass that is dark green, very drought-tolerant, and grows throughout the year. Brome grass and other pasture grasses are lighter-colored, thick-bladed grasses often found in native areas and pastures; when they invade a lawn, they can be present year-round.

Coarse tall fescues, brome grasses, and pasture grasses can be selectively controlled through back-to-back-to-back applications using a special technique and a product called Tenacity.

If you have crabgrass or coarse tall fescue in your lawn in the Boulder or Fort Collins area, contact Organo-Lawn today to schedule an application to eliminate those unwanted grasses.

How to Control Crabgrass in a Lawn

Drive XLR8 is a fast-acting selective control that will kill the crabgrass post-emergently and the crabgrass will typically die between 3-10 days after the application.  

How to Control Coarse Tall Fescue

Controlling coarse fescues, native grasses, and brome grasses has only recently become possible, starting in 2024. Previously, the only method for selectively managing coarse-bladed perennial grasses was to apply Glyphosate (RoundUp) to kill them, followed by reseeding the treated area. Fortunately, a new option now exists that allows us to eliminate coarse-bladed grasses without harming desirable grass species.

This new method involves applying a specialized weed control product called Tenacity in three consecutive treatments. Our findings indicate that we can achieve a control rate of 50% to over 90%. Higher control rates are observed in grasses that resemble field grasses, while lower control rates are seen in those that look more like turf grasses. Essentially, if the coarse grasses are hybrids of coarse and turf grasses, the effectiveness of the control will decrease.

Drive XLR8

Crabgrass and Bindweed Killer Information Sheets

DRIVE XLR8 LABEL PDF

DRIVE XLR8 SDS PDF

EPA FACT SHEET PDF

Drive XLR8 weed and crabgrass killer is registered with the EPA by BASF, EPA reg. #7969-272. This post-emergent crabgrass and bindweed killer is also registered with the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

Tenacity

Coarse Fescue Control
Information Sheets

 

TENACITY LABEL PDF

TENACITY SDS PDF

Tenacity is registered with the EPA reg. # 100-1267. Tenacity is also registered with the Colorado Department of Agriculture. 

FESCUE CONTROL IN A LAWN

Note: To control coarse fescues in a lawn 3 applications will need to be applied, each spaced out 7-14 days apart. 

SCHEDULE A CRABGRASS OR COARSE TALL FESCUE TREATMENT